Vermont Gov. Phil Scott on Wednesday signed sweeping gun control measures -- including limits on the size of magazines -- that the Legislature passed last month after contentious debate.
The measures:
-- Raise the minimum age for gun buyers to 21;
-- Ban bump stocks, which allow semiautomatic weapons to fire more rapidly;
-- Require all gun transactions to be facilitated by a licensed dealer who would perform background checks, except for law enforcement or military members acting within their duties, or for gun transfers between immediate family members;
-- Limit rifle magazines to 10 rounds.
State residents will be permitted to keep larger-capacity magazines they already own.
As he signed the measures, Scott, a Republican, called himself a Second Amendment supporter who owns guns and has hunted his whole life.
"Arms discourage and keep the invader and plunderer in awe, and preserve order in the world as well as property. . . Horrid mischief would ensue were the law-abiding deprived of the use of them."
- Thomas Paine
"Malo periculosam, libertatem quam quietam servitutem."